Keeping consumers top of mind amid Baltimore building boom

Baltimore's downtown continues to see new development. Leaders of the nonprofit organization responsible for promoting the area say there are two things driving the current construction boom. One is that there's a strong supply of good-paying jobs. Another is that neighborhood revitalization efforts are proving effective.

With the stepped up construction of high-rise towers and individual units comes a certain caveat, however. Consumers can face a challenge in protecting themselves against professionals who might be more intent on increasing profit margins than on making sure the work they are doing meets all the specifications called for by planners and codes required by regulators.

Developers, architects, engineers, contractors and brokers all have an obligation to fulfill duties of care that extend to anyone who could be injured by negligent actions. Included on the list of possible victims are those who ultimately purchase or occupy the newly constructed facilities. Anyone with questions about their legal rights and options in such circumstances should be prepared to consult an experienced attorney about their rights and options.

While legal issues related to new construction tend to distill down to defects in workmanship of the final product, the great number of players involved can make achieving an optimal outcome complicated. The objective is always to find a remedy, but knowing what claim to make, who to hold responsible and making sure that the responsible parties are held accountable is not something any consumer needs to face alone.

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